Better than the tiling shell extension? Been using that, its fine with manual layouts but I wish it automatically remembered my previous layouts without needing to save them.

Could’ve sworn I had a different gnome extension that remembered how your specific app was framed last time it was open or followed your last program.

I haven’t made the jump to niri for the same reason. I am testing niri out on a second laptop tho when i have some time to tinker.

PaperWM is still a bit clunky with multi monitor usage and still fights against gnome enough to be just a little annoying unfortunately.

Noctalia shell’s recent release has me increasingly excited tho for a future where the downsides of skipping gnome or kde are far less. It may take some time before the toolsets expand, but waylands architecture will eventually spawn more and more DIY options.

Some shells do work with niri and other compositors as a replacement for their own. Cinnamon and Cosmic do this, though still in an experimental way. Nor do those shells really compare to the depth of gnome or kde.